GREAT ALL AMERICAN DINER RUN

Thisilldous Eatery presents

GREAT ALL AMERICAN DINER RUN

tasty places to take your bike

JOE’S STEAK SHOP 274 SMAIN ST, PHILLIPSBURG, NJ 08865 908-454-9545 • www.joessteakshop.com

Eat at Joe’s!

According to the Free Dictionary this cliché means: A stock slogan used as an advertisement for a restaurant or diner. Derived from the placeholder restaurant name “Joe’s Diner,” the phrase is often featured in works of ction, especially as an example of such a typical advertisement. The bright neon words “Eat at Joe’s” could be seen from miles away, the sole source of light on that dark, lonely desert road. It was the type of place where you would see old rundown trucks parked on the side of the road with tattered “Eat at Joe’s” signs slapped on their sides.

But, this time… we mean it!

Along the Delaware River, in the town of Phillipsburg, New Jersey right across from the con uence of the Lehigh River sits a small restaurant that has a long history of serving some of the best sandwiches along the river.

Particularly the venerable Cheese Steak; somewhat of a legend from this region and the big city to the south and the other side of the Delaware.

We had been by Joe’s Steak Shop a number of times but an early morning call from a friend in Philly who was going to go for a morning ride with some other friends and head there for lunch got us geared up and ready to go in quick time.

These guys would be heading up from the south, while Shira and I would be vectoring in from the north.

We wanted to do something a bit different this morning so Garmin’s BaseCamp was red up and, in a few minutes, we had devised a ride down to Phillipsburg along roads we hardly knew or had never ridden before.

Who does not love a little exploring on two wheels?

The day had a chill to it, but the bright sun quickly brought the temperatures up to a comfortable warmth. Life was good in western New Jersey.

Right along the river, just south of the bridge into Pennsylvania, we saw the small building with the bright red neon signage—Joe’s Steak Shop.

It was 1938 when a young Joseph Attinello opened his rst shop selling cheesesteaks for a whopping 15 cents with his own special sauce which you could get mild or a wonderful hot.

Over the next few decades, Joe moved his restaurant a few times but, in 1958, Joe bought a tiny shack from a local driving range, and with the help of a friend, Joe moved the shack overnight to 289 South Main Street, the location of Joe’s in-laws, Mary and James Pacenti. The building was put on a concrete foundation that was dug out by Joe’s oldest son also

named Joe, (nickname Butch) one day after football practice with the help of one of his teammates.

But there would be yet another move in 1965 when the property, the City Service Gas Station, across the street became available.

Joe Sr. ran the place, with more and more locals, travelers, and foodies that had heard about this tiny place in Phillipsburg with the best cheesesteaks in the world, until 1978 when he handed it to Joe (Butch) to continue running the business. Growing up in the family business was Joe’s son, “Little” Joe who worked alongside his father for many years.

Now joined by his daughter Jody – Joe’s Steaks is a solid piece of this part of the Delaware and we were excited to nally get to sit down with friends and see what all the hubbub was about. It did not disappoint.

Cheesesteaks are their specialty topped with theirr signature hot or mild sauces – the same creation that topped those 15-cent cheesesteaks back in 1938.

These sandwiches are served on a crisp roll, with onions, and your choice of cheese. Certainly, they also have a variety of sandwiches and wraps, including burgers, pork roll, sh, and chicken. But it was the cheesesteaks that brought us riding in on this day.

Brad went for the mushroom cheesesteak, while Jeff went hot and ordered up the buffalo chicken – Shira and I went for the good-old and famed cheesesteak; though our cheese choices differed.

They all were really, really good.

Other standard sandwiches at Joe’s include burgers, hot dogs, BLTs. But at Joe’s you can order up a pork roll and for those who need a bit more North Jersey – you can order up a double pork roll. In 2004, Joe’s established a Classic Car Show to coincide with Phillipsburg’s Cruise Night. On Tuesdays, May thru October, you can enjoy your choice of meal and ogle some classic cars, along with listening to some live music.

We have always believed that the divide between the Garden States north and south can be drawn at I-78. Joe’s sits a few miles north of the interstate – perhaps that is why they call it Pork Roll and not Taylor Ham.

You have to ask them yourself when you follow along our route from Van Sant Airport in Erwinna, PA to this month’s stop on the All-American Diner Run! , Download GPS route here: www.sendspace.com/ le/ptaa52